


The Wrapping Job

by Nixie_DeAngel



Series: Fluff Not Fear [10]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Fluff not Fear, Fluffy, Holiday Gifts, Holiday Season, Len doesn't celebrate Christmas, M/M, slight insecure Barry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 06:30:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8738374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nixie_DeAngel/pseuds/Nixie_DeAngel
Summary: (If only Iris hadn’t befriended Lisa, then he could have gone to her like he usually did but he knew Iris would tell Lisa, who would in turn tell her brother about his gift which would defeat the entire surprise Barry had planned for Len.)
Lifting his eyes to look at the table, he let out a small whimper, tightening his arms and gripping the sides of his shirt to hug himself just a bit tighter, he swallowed before dropping his eyes back down to stare at his feet.
(Next year he was totally going to pay a professional to wrap Len’s present…in Coast City.)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mockingbird_22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mockingbird_22/gifts).



> Prompt #26, I got you a present.

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Barry frowned as he stared down at the mangled looking wrapping job before letting out a soft, defeated sigh. Shaking his head, Barry sped through taking it off for the eighth time and re-wrapping the small box once again.

Barry let out another huff and shoved away from the table before taking two steps back and crossed his arms over his chest. He knew when he’d sat down that his wrapping job wouldn’t look great but he honestly didn’t think it’d look as bad as it does.

He should have learned how to do this properly years ago, like Joe had suggested. Giving another shake of his head, he mourned the lost opportunity for a few seconds before letting his shoulders drop in defeat.

 

( _If only Iris hadn’t befriended Lisa, then he could have gone to her like he usually did but he knew Iris would tell Lisa, who would in turn tell her brother about his gift which would defeat the entire surprise Barry had planned for Len_.)

 

Lifting his eyes to look at the table, he let out a small whimper, tightening his arms and gripping the sides of his shirt to hug himself just a bit tighter, he swallowed before dropping his eyes back down to stare at his feet.

 

( _Next year he was totally going to pay a professional to wrap Len’s present…in Coast City._ )

 

Releasing his grip, Barry lifted his right hand and moved to rub at the back of his neck as he shuffled back over to the table, peering down at the lopsided shiny blue wrapping paper and the sagging white ribbon that was supposed to be a bow. Shaking himself out of his melancholy, he let his arms drop and went to reach for the gift when he suddenly heard a voice behind him.

“What’s that?”

Whipping around, Barry let out a yelp and flashed to the other side of the table, suddenly holding a wooden spoon in his left hand, arm out stretched in front of him.

Standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the wood trim was Len, arms crossed and playful smirk playing at his lips. Len flicked his eyes twice to the table before settling his eyes, sparkling with curiosity and amusement, firmly on Barry.

Len’s lips curled up at the right side as he stepped away and strode towards the table, letting his arms pull back and began to reach out to grab the misshapen box off the table when Barry let out another yelp and he sprang into action.

 

( _Barry used the speed force to stretch out a second to freak before he flashed in front of Len, placing himself in between the older man and the table. His arms out stretched, his palms flat against Len's chest to keep the man from getting around him._ )

 

“Easy there, Scarlet,” Len drawled, his hands dropping to grip at Barry’s hips as he tilted his head to the side, looking at the gift behind the speedster before slowly moving his gaze back to pin Barry where he stood. "No need to be so cold," he tacked on playfully as soon as his eyes were back on his speedster, squeezing the younger man's hips as he tilted his head to the other side and stared at him in consideration.

"You aren't supposed to be home yet," Barry very nearly squeaked out, his voice tinted with frustration and defeat. "I, you," he cut himself off, shoulders dropping once again as he let his head drop down along with them.

"Hey," Len's face scrunched up, pulling his left hand off and moving to slide it, gripping Barry's neck gently, forcing the younger man's head to tilt back up so they could lock eyes together. "S'wrong, Red?"

"Supposed to be a surprise," Barry mumbled out, hands sliding up Len's chest to rest on his shoulders, glancing down at them before forcing himself to lock gazes once again. "I, uh, I," he paused to let out a huff, "I wanted to this to be a surprise for you." Grumbling slightly, he flash around before stepping back in place so Len's hands were still on his body, though now he held the deformed present in his hands, holding it out to Len, "Here," he whispered, almost brokenly.

Swallowing around the lump his throat, Barry watched as Len pulled his hands off the speedster and carefully took hold of the small box. Len glanced up for a long second before he began to carefully unwrap his gift.

"You know, Scarlet," Len started out in a soft drawl, freeing the ribbon from the box and tossing it onto the table behind the hero. "I don't celebrate Christmas," he continued on as he began pulling the paper off, pausing to give Barry a hard look before getting back to it.

 

( _Stretching out the speed force again, Barry let himself freak out before shifting back into the moment as Len finally pulled off the paper and ribbon._ )

 

"I, I know," Barry stuttered out, coughing once as he moved his right hand up to rub at the side of his neck, left hand moving down to play with the hem of his zip up hoodie and swallowed again before going on, "Which, which is why, I um," he let out a quiet breath through his nose, "I know that, but I wanted to, um, I wanted to give you this, and I, and I know you don't which is why I wanted give you to this now."

Len tossed the paper on the table and paused to let Barry stumble over his words, holding the box carefully in his hands while he waited for the younger man to finish up.

"But I, um, I wasn't really sure how to," he shuffled his feet a little, "I figured if I gave you this," he titled his chin down at the box, "Figured this could just be a winter gift," he ended in a quiet mumble, swallowing as he flashed his arms around his stomach, holding himself tightly. "So, so yeah."

"Scarlet," Len called out gently, waiting until Barry finally lifted his gaze to met Len's own, "You didn't have to get me anything, Barry."

Barry gaze a quick, jerky nodded, tightening his grip on himself before letting out a short huff, "I just, I saw it and I, I thought you might like it," he ended with a quick shrug.

Len gave a slow nod before he focused most of his attention onto opening the box. His eyes widened as he took in what was inside the box, mouth dropping open slightly as his eyes widen just the tiniest bit, "Barry," he breathed out gently, voice a soft rumble.

"Do, do you like it?" Barry asked, voice trembling with uncertain and doubt. "I mean," he cut himself off, letting out a scoff. "I, I know, it's fine, you don't have to lie, I knew I shouldn't have gotten this, I just," he snapped his mouth shut and moved to step away and give Len space. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done this."

"Scarlet," Len nearly snapped out, watching at the speedster flinched at his tone before hunching in on himself.

 

( _Len nearly growled out loud but stopped himself, knew Barry would take it as another sign that Len was upset with the speedster, when in reality that Len was angry at himself for letting Barry think that Len would be angry at him for his gift._ )

 

"Barry," Len stepped forward, gently placing the box down before moving over to Barry quickly. His left hand moved to cup Barry's cheek while his right hand wrapped around Barry's hip. "Barry," he continued on softly, getting the younger man to lock gazes with him, "I love it." He leaned his forehead onto Barry's, letting his lips curve up at the left side in a playful smirk, "It's very _cool_."

Len let his lips stretch into a real smile as he listened to Barry let out a happy peel of laughter at his pun.

 

( _Len moved back after hanging the picture frame on the wall, leaning back into Barry's body as the younger man wrapped his arms around him from behind, soft smile on his lips as he stared at the picture of him, Lisa and their grandfather from the last Christmas they'd had before the older man had passed away._ )

 

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**Author's Note:**

> I'm [Nixie](http://nixie-deangel.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Please don't be afraid to tell me what you think of this! Or any of my works! I adore comments!


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